Periodic Reporting for period 4 - ARTSOUNDSCAPES (The sound of special places: exploring rock art soundscapes and the sacred)
Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2025-03-31
The Artsoundscapes project explored the role of sound in how premodern societies experienced the sacred. Although the supernatural was often seen as ever-present, certain locations were considered especially conducive to spiritual encounters. Today, the significance of these places has been lost, though there is evidence – such as rock art – that hints at their sacred nature. Scholars interpret such imagery as part of ritual practices, often depicting mythological or spiritual beings. Ethnographic studies support this view, sometimes referencing music and natural sounds at rock art sites. Anthropologists have long recognized the role of sound in ritual, and many rock art sites are found in areas with unique acoustic properties. Yet this aspect had not been properly analysed – a gap the Artsoundscapes project successfully filled.
The project represented a key step forward because it offered a groundbreaking way to understand how ancient peoples experienced the sacred through sound and landscape. One key reason is its connection to heritage: by studying how sound shaped spiritual practices, it helped reconnect us with a fundamental aspect of human culture often overlooked in archaeology – our relationship with sound and sacred space. Secondly, Artsoundscapes stood out for its interdisciplinary innovation, combining archaeology, acoustic engineering, psychoacoustics, neuropsychology, and ethnography. This approach not only advanced academic knowledge but also provided a model for studying complex human experiences. A third reason was its contribution to preservation. By identifying acoustically significant rock art sites, the project supported the protection of cultural heritage and raised awareness of their sonic importance, influencing conservation strategies. It also addressed themes relevant to environmental ethics and sustainability, showing how some landscapes were perceived as alive or spiritually charged – deepening our understanding of early societies’ relationships with nature. Finally, through its findings, the project aimed to inspire new ways of engaging the public with archaeology and history, such as immersive sound experiences or educational programs.
The project was guided by five core objectives. First, it examined the acoustic characteristics of rock art landscapes used by past hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists, assessing their potential to enhance spiritual connection. Fieldwork took place in Altai (Asia), Mediterranean Spain (Europe), the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains and Southern Africa, and the Sonoran Desert (America). Second, it explored psychoacoustic phenomena – both subjective experiences like altered states of consciousness and measurable effects such as echoes or long-distance sound transmission. Third, it investigated how the brain responds to sound in these environments, using neuroimaging to detect patterns associated with sacred experiences. Fourth, it reviewed ethnographic and historical records to understand sound and music in sacred practices, especially in regions where the project conducted fieldwork. Finally, it developed a conceptual framework for interpreting sacred emotions in relation to prehistoric soundscapes.
The project represented a key step forward because it offered a groundbreaking way to understand how ancient peoples experienced the sacred through sound and landscape. One key reason is its connection to heritage: by studying how sound shaped spiritual practices, it helped reconnect us with a fundamental aspect of human culture often overlooked in archaeology – our relationship with sound and sacred space. Secondly, Artsoundscapes stood out for its interdisciplinary innovation, combining archaeology, acoustic engineering, psychoacoustics, neuropsychology, and ethnography. This approach not only advanced academic knowledge but also provided a model for studying complex human experiences. A third reason was its contribution to preservation. By identifying acoustically significant rock art sites, the project supported the protection of cultural heritage and raised awareness of their sonic importance, influencing conservation strategies. It also addressed themes relevant to environmental ethics and sustainability, showing how some landscapes were perceived as alive or spiritually charged – deepening our understanding of early societies’ relationships with nature. Finally, through its findings, the project aimed to inspire new ways of engaging the public with archaeology and history, such as immersive sound experiences or educational programs.
The project was guided by five core objectives. First, it examined the acoustic characteristics of rock art landscapes used by past hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists, assessing their potential to enhance spiritual connection. Fieldwork took place in Altai (Asia), Mediterranean Spain (Europe), the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains and Southern Africa, and the Sonoran Desert (America). Second, it explored psychoacoustic phenomena – both subjective experiences like altered states of consciousness and measurable effects such as echoes or long-distance sound transmission. Third, it investigated how the brain responds to sound in these environments, using neuroimaging to detect patterns associated with sacred experiences. Fourth, it reviewed ethnographic and historical records to understand sound and music in sacred practices, especially in regions where the project conducted fieldwork. Finally, it developed a conceptual framework for interpreting sacred emotions in relation to prehistoric soundscapes.
The ERC-funded Artsoundscapes project explored how sound shaped human experiences of the sacred in prehistoric rock art landscapes. The project was structured around five main research lines.
Research Line 1 focused on the acoustical characterization of rock art sites across diverse regions, including the Russian Altai, Southern Africa, Spain, and the Americas (Baja California and Nevada). Fieldwork conducted between 2019 and 2024 examined how natural soundscapes and depictions of music and dance in rock art related to cultural practices. These studies, now published and freely accessible, revealed that certain landscapes may have been chosen for their acoustic properties, enhancing rituals and storytelling.
Research Line 2 investigated the psychoacoustics of these landscapes. Using the Immersive PsychoAcoustic Laboratory, researchers tested how sound affected emotional and perceptual responses. In Altai, reverberation was linked to feelings of tension, while in Spanish sites like Cádiz and Cuevas de la Araña, participants perceived rock art shelters as more reverberant and spatially expansive than undecorated sites. These findings suggested that sound played a meaningful role in how ancient communities selected and experienced sacred spaces.
Research Line 3 explored neuroacoustics, particularly the relationship between rhythmic auditory stimulation, neural entrainment, and altered states of consciousness (ASCs). While rhythmic drumming successfully induced entrainment, no significant cognitive differences were found across rhythmic conditions, indicating the need for larger sample sizes. However, stronger entrainment at 1.65 Hz was linked to greater absorption in music, hinting at individual variability in response. Literature reviews further supported that rhythmic sound can evoke ASCs characterized by relaxation and vivid imagery.
Finally, Research Line 4 included independent studies that complemented the project’s core themes. All findings have been made openly available through the project’s website, contributing to a deeper understanding of the sensory and symbolic dimensions of prehistoric life.
Altogether, the project has been highly productive, with 50 publications – including an edited book and two special issues – 27 blog posts, and a strong presence in the media, all accessible on https://www.ub.edu/artsoundscapes/(opens in new window)
Research Line 1 focused on the acoustical characterization of rock art sites across diverse regions, including the Russian Altai, Southern Africa, Spain, and the Americas (Baja California and Nevada). Fieldwork conducted between 2019 and 2024 examined how natural soundscapes and depictions of music and dance in rock art related to cultural practices. These studies, now published and freely accessible, revealed that certain landscapes may have been chosen for their acoustic properties, enhancing rituals and storytelling.
Research Line 2 investigated the psychoacoustics of these landscapes. Using the Immersive PsychoAcoustic Laboratory, researchers tested how sound affected emotional and perceptual responses. In Altai, reverberation was linked to feelings of tension, while in Spanish sites like Cádiz and Cuevas de la Araña, participants perceived rock art shelters as more reverberant and spatially expansive than undecorated sites. These findings suggested that sound played a meaningful role in how ancient communities selected and experienced sacred spaces.
Research Line 3 explored neuroacoustics, particularly the relationship between rhythmic auditory stimulation, neural entrainment, and altered states of consciousness (ASCs). While rhythmic drumming successfully induced entrainment, no significant cognitive differences were found across rhythmic conditions, indicating the need for larger sample sizes. However, stronger entrainment at 1.65 Hz was linked to greater absorption in music, hinting at individual variability in response. Literature reviews further supported that rhythmic sound can evoke ASCs characterized by relaxation and vivid imagery.
Finally, Research Line 4 included independent studies that complemented the project’s core themes. All findings have been made openly available through the project’s website, contributing to a deeper understanding of the sensory and symbolic dimensions of prehistoric life.
Altogether, the project has been highly productive, with 50 publications – including an edited book and two special issues – 27 blog posts, and a strong presence in the media, all accessible on https://www.ub.edu/artsoundscapes/(opens in new window)
The Artsoundscapes project significantly advanced the field of archaeoacoustics by integrating acoustic science, archaeology, ethnography, and neuroscience to explore how sound shaped sacred experiences in prehistoric societies. Progress beyond the state of the art included the development of innovative methodologies for acoustic characterization of rock art landscapes, the creation of the Immersive PsychoAcoustic Laboratory (immpaLAB) for controlled psychoacoustic testing, and pioneering research into the neurobiological basis of altered states of consciousness induced by rhythmic sound. These approaches enabled a deeper understanding of how sound influenced emotional responses, site selection, and ritual practices in ancient communities. By combining fieldwork across diverse geographic regions with experimental and theoretical research, the project established a new interdisciplinary framework for studying the sensory dimensions of prehistoric life. The project undertook a comprehensive comparative analysis of acoustic features across global rock art sites, concluding that there are no universal laws. It also refined models of how soundscapes contributed to sacred ontologies, and provided new insights into the neural mechanisms linking sound, emotion, and ritual.